


Shy Kitty

by notebookofdreams



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), danandphil - Fandom, danhowell - Fandom
Genre: Phan - Freeform, coffeeshop, danandphil - Freeform, danhowell, neko, nekodan, nekofic, phillester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-27 18:30:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14431584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notebookofdreams/pseuds/notebookofdreams
Summary: Dan’s a neko. Phil’s an introvert who’s addicted to coffee.





	1. Chapter 1

_Phil Lester._  
_Not everyone got to see his pretty face every day._  
_Okay, nobody did. This guy came out of his cave once a week for groceries._

  
**_Ding_**

The cafe door swung open. A tall, shadowy figure entered the room.

"Finally decide to come out?" The waitress grinned.

"Only for some actual coffee. My machine's messed up!" Phil smiled and walked over to the counter.

"You know, most people only make coffee once a day in the morning. Phil, there are other beverages in the world; there's no need to make coffee multiple times a day."

"Hey, I run on the stuff! If it weren't for coffee, I wouldn't have the energy to come down here once a week." Phil rubbed his eyes. "You know I'm always tired!"

"Phil, has it ever occurred to you that the fact that you 'run on the stuff' may be considered somewhat unhealthy? Maybe if you stopped staring at your computer screen all day and night and came outside more often, then you wouldn't be having so many problems!" The waitress grabbed a medium styrofoam coffee cup and turned to the coffee makers.

"You mean more than my once a week? Mel, you've got to be kidding!" Mel rolled her eyes and handed Phil the cup, which was now full of salted caramel coffee.

"This is all you're going to drink today, right?" The tiny woman raised an eyebrow. Phil looked down at her and took the coffee, grinning.

"No guarantee; I might come right back later today."

"Maybe you should try to limit yourself. Since your machine's broken, you can try to control yourself." Phil scoffed at this. "Controlling himself." Oh, come on. He wasn't out of control in the first place! It was coffee, for goodness sake!

"I'll just buy another one while I'm out today."

"No! No you won't!"

"Sorry, Mel, I've got to get back to my cave! I can't live like this!"

"Ugh...fine. Just don't go crazy, okay?" Mel called as Phil walked to another counter to get one of those thin little straws.

"Okay, I'll try. Bye." Phil smiled warmly at his friend and waved.

"Bye." Mel beamed at the man as he turned and left the cafe.

"Oi! What's holding up the line?" A man with curly brown hair asked, turning to his friend, who had straight, jet-black hair. Both had fringes.

"Grumpy without your coffee, huh? Gimme a second!" Mel frantically grabbed two more cups before brushing some of the pink half of her hair aside and turning toward the two men. "How may I help you?"

"Hey, Mel." The black-haired man stepped up and glanced at his raging friend. "Lemme order for you, Peej."

"Is he okay?" Mel asked. "He's usually not super mad."

"Oh, he stayed up practically all night last night editing a video. I woke up and found him red-eyed at his computer with five empty coffee cups."

"Well, what does he want?"

"What's the special?" Chris squinted at the chalkboard posted behind Mel.

"Salted-caramel. Phil loves it and gets it all the time. PJ, is that what you want?" Chris turned to his curly haired friend, who gave a small nod in reply. Mel smiled shyly and filled a cup of salted caramel.

"Here ya go, Peej." Not looking up, PJ took the drink from her and sipped it lightly.

"Thanks." He mumbled. Chris put his arm around his friend.

"He'll be up and awake in no time, I'm sure!" He smiled brightly. "Come on, Peej, let's head to the park, yeah? Let's get some nice, fresh air!" Mel laughed to herself.

"Bye Mel!" Chris tipped her and turned to the door.

"Bye." PJ murmured, yawning and taking another sip of coffee.


	2. The chapter where Phil meets Dan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil meets Dan.

_**Phil's POV** _

I smiled at my friend before walking out of the cafe, only to be met with pouring rain. Ah, really? What if my coffee cup got wet?

It was very difficult to run in the rain with all these crowds of people carrying big umbrellas, not to mention that it was already difficult for a person as tall and clumsy as me to even run at all. Eventually, after a few seconds of bustling through the waves of pedestrians, I resorted to speed walking before I hurt myself. See, this is why I stay inside.

I was trying to edge around a couple sharing a large umbrella when I was pushed around a corner, nearly slipping onto the concrete. I'd found myself in an alleyway with only a few people in it! Deciding to ditch the streets, I began walking down the alley when I heard a small squeak. It sounded as if it came from...the dumpster?

Maybe it was a raccoon or something...but it didn't sound like a raccoon...it sounded more like...a cat?

Was there a poor lost kitty in the dumpster? I couldn't just leave the poor thing in there, so I approached the metal structure. My jaw dropped at what was behind it.

A boy with curly brunette hair and torn clothes pressed himself against the dumpster, trying to get all the shelter he could from it. He was shivering, lonely, and broken. There was something else that caught my attention, however; the boy had two black cat ears flat against his head and a long, fluffy tail wrapped around his legs in a protective manner. He must have been a hybrid, in other words, a neko.

I had always known that they existed, but had never actually seen one in my entire life. It may have had something to do with the fact that I don't go outside very much, but I knew they were rare anyway. I was absolutely amazed by this creature. I never imagined I would ever see a neko, especially in this awful state. He was beautiful, but he was in pain. I crouched down next to him, but he flinched back as I did.

"Hi, I'm Phil," I said gently. "Are you hungry?" The boy nodded. I reached in my back pocket and pulled out a scone from the cafe. 

"Here, it's still warm." I slowly and carefully handed the pastry to the shivering neko. He hesitantly took it from me and took a small bite out of it. His ears perked up and he began to eat it more quickly.

"Be careful, I don't want you to choke," I chuckled then looked down at the coffee in my hand. "Here, have this, too. Coffee solves all my problems." The boy peered up at me and slowly took it.

"Careful, it's really hot." The boy nodded and took the tiniest sip. His ears perked up again, and I found it absolutely adorable.  This poor kid needed to get out of this rain. What was I thinking, settling down to feed him in the rain?

"Hey," The brunette shyly looked up at me again. "How about we get you somewhere warm?" His ears flattened again. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to help you. I can take you back to flat." I offered. His ears flattened yet again.

"I can't force you. I'm going to start walking back now, and you're welcome to follow me. I'd love to have you over...I'm kind of introverted." I gave the boy a sad smile as he continued to shiver in the cold. It was awfully chilly; I didn't even bring a coat for myself.

I sighed and turned around, walking slow enough for the boy to keep up. Sure enough, I turned around, and there he was, tip-toeing right behind me. 

"Come on." I smiled and held my arm out. He walked a bit more quickly to catch up and I sheltered him from the rain as we walked back to my home. 

As we trudged through the freezing winds, he snuggled up against me, and I could have sworn that I heard a soft little purr.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan actually talks and it’s cute.

I was almost at my flat when I felt a little tickle on my neck. I looked down to see the boy's little kitty ear flicking back and forth.

The boy was still tall, but a little bit shorter than me. His ears went up to my neck. I quietly laughed and rubbed my neck where his ear was. He flinched a bit and his ears flattened again. Without thinking about it much, I gently began to stroke his fur. He jerked back a bit more, then relaxed and leaned into my touch. I continud to pet him until I reached my front door.

"I have to unlock the door, alright?" I mumbled as I reached for my keys. The boy watched curiously as I turned the key to my flat.

"Go ahead." I rubbed his shoulder and stepped aside for him. He stepped in carefully and warily. His ears flicked and he sniffed around.

"I'll get you some towels to dry off." I told him as I walked toward the bathroom. When I returned with the towel, he was eyeing up my colourful video game selection.

"They're video games." The neko cocked his head, his ears flopping to the side. I chuckled. "We can play them sometime if you'd like." He turned his head back toward me and we made eye contact.

"Here," I handed him the towel. He slowly reached out and grasped it, not pulling away until I did. He stared down at the towel for a few minutes before beginning to dry his ears and tail. They fluffed up adorably.

"While you dry yourself off, I'll get you some food, okay?" I pulled some leftover pizza from the night before out of my fridge, placing it on a plate and into the microwave. The neko was mesmerized by the glow of the box. His ears twitched at the beeping noise. I pulled the pizza out and placed it on the floor where he sat, right in front of him.

"Go on ahead and eat that. If you want more, just let me know." I smiled and ruffled his hair which he had been drying. He purred at this.

"But I need something to call you. Do you have a name?" I asked carefully. The boy nodded, chewing his pizza carefully.

"Can you please tell me?" I asked as gently as I could muster. The boy mumbled something inaudible. I moved a bit closer, petting his ears again. "Hm?"

"D-Dan." He repeated in a small voice.

"Dan. That's a lovely name." Both my hands were running through Dan's soft, curly hair now. He purred, more loudly this time.

"Alright, while you're eating, I'll go on and make a place for you to sleep." I carefully removed my hands from Dan's head, causing him to whine softly. He really was like a cat.

"It's okay, I'll be back." I ruffled his hair one last time before stepping out of the room. I went down to the laundry room where I kept clean sheets and blankets for when guests came over. I placed them inside the dryer to make them warm and once they were done, I brought them upstairs to the guest room, passing Dan as I walked by. He was finished with his pizza.

"Do you want anymore?" The boy had a small stomach and I had given him three slices, but I had no idea when the last time he ate was. He shook his head and picked up the plate. "Alright, just set that on the counter. You probably want a shower after sitting in the rain, so you can use this one right here." I gestured to a door in the hall as Dan placed his plate on the counter and watched me, his tail twitching behind him. He nodded and followed me into the bathroom. I gave him a clean towel and started the water. Once it was nice and hot, I went into my room and grabbed a comfortable, clean shirt for him. I had an old pair of sweatpants that was a bit too small for me, so I grabbed those as well.

Dan stood by the shower awkwardly. I placed the folded clothes on the toilet, realizing that his tail might be uncomfortable tucked into one pant leg. I grabbed some scissors out of the cabinet and cut a little hole just big enough for Dan's tail to fit through comfortably.

"The body wash and shampoo are in the rack stuck to the wall." I opened the door and showed him the rack. "The water's already warm, so you can get in now. I'll be in the guest room preparing your bed." I smiled and stepped out of the bathroom.

As I was pulling the sheets over the mattress I already heard crashes coming from the shower. I rushed to the door and knocked.

"Dan? Are you okay?" To my relief, he replyed with a quiet yes. "What's going on in there?"

"Nothing..." I heard him say almost inaudibly.

"Just let me know if you need anything." I made my way back to the guest room.

The bed was made and it was nice and warm for the neko. I stretched on the bed, basking in the warmth. It was so comfortable. A few minutes later, Dan walked in, his ears even fluffier this time. I smiled and sat up.

"This is your bed," I rose. "Lay down, it's really comfy." The neko slowly walked over to me and lowered himself onto the bed, snuggling into the comforter and purring happily.

"Is there anything else you need? I'll go get you some water before you sleep." I left to get some water and came back to find him in the same spot, still purring.

"Here you are," I held the glass out and this time, he took it without hesitation. The boy drank the water comfortably and sat with the glass in his lap, his ears twitching. They seemed to do that quite a lot.

"Here, I'll take the glass." I reached out and took it from him. "Go on ahead and get some sleep, alright? Don't be afraid to come into my room during the night if you have to." I pet his head, noticing a hint of a smile on his face as he stared up at me with wide eyes. He looked so happy and it warmed my heart.

"Goodnight." I gently closed the door behind me as I left the room.

"Night." I heard him whisper.


	4. danny has a nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan’s state before Phil rescued him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dan was kicked out, called names, and had a difficult life on the streets.

**Dan's POV**

"I can't believe you. I just...I can't look at you right now. Get out." He spat coldly. My eyes were fixed on the ground, not that I could see it through my tears anyway. I walked out the back door where he had me cornered and seeing no other escape, climbed over his fence.

_"Furry."_ He slammed the door, blocking me out of his life forever. What even _is_ a furry anyway?

Having no other place in mind, I walked straight toward the city, tucking my tail in my pant leg and hiding my ears with my hood. I looked like a regular boy and no one would stare at me.

I crawled through the streets for days, living off of food that people had thrown away along with scraps on the road. I stopped at a dumpster where a raccoon and her babies apparently lived, and after being jump-attacked once, I never returned. This was just the beginning of my problems.

I had no money or home. I had one set of clothes: the one that I was kicked out in. I was too afraid to go anywhere to get a job or buy groceries with the money I found. What if others saw me the way he did? Well, it was worth a shot, wasn't it?

I did try to get a job and a place to stay. I was turned away everytime. I got beat up in alleys and called horrible names all the time. No matter how hard I tried to hide it people would always realize what I truly was. I shouldn't have come to the city. Humans could get jobs. Cats were cute. But me, in between? I didn't have a chance in London.

I turned around, only to be thrown against the cold, hard metal of the dumpster behind me. I turned to see a teenager and his friend: the same ones who beat me up last week. I thought they were done for a good while, but no, of course not.

"Still haven't found another furry like you?" One of them kicked me against the dumpster, the other stomping on my tail so hard that I couldn't move it. It started to rain and my ears were getting soaked.

The guy who kicked me brushed his hair to the side, stepping backwards and grabbing his friend's arm.

"Let's get out of here." The two rushed out of the alley, splashing puddles as they ran off.

I didn't need those two to be constantly reminding me of the fact that I'm just a stupid, hybrid freak and no one will ever want me near them. Didn't they realize that I knew that well enough already?

  
"Worthless."

"Pathetic."

"Furry."

 

 

 

 

_"Worthless."_

_"Pathetic."_

_"Furry."_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_**"Worthless."** _

_**"Pathetic."** _

_**"Furry."** _

 

  
The words rang through my head, piercing my ears and giving me a headache. I wasn't safe here, I wasn't safe anywhere...

"No..." I whispered. "No...."

"Leave me alone..."

"No!"

I woke up to warm arms wrapped around me. The shadowy figure looked down at me with concerned blue eyes.


	5. make the nightmares go away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cute chapter where Phil makes Dan feel better. (hmm now that I consider it there’s probably gonna be more of these)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a v short chapter but hey it’s fluffy.

_**Phil's POV** _

I knew I heard something coming from Dan's bedroom...

_Oh no, the poor boy's crying._

I immediately grabbed my glasses and ran straight to his room. He was still asleep, tossing and turning. I sat next to him, holding him close to me.

"Hey buddy? You okay? It's just a bad dream." I spoke softly petting his ears. His tear-filled eyes slowly opened and his breathing steadied. "Aw, it's alright. None of it's real...I'm right here. You're safe." The boy blinked at me, cocking his head. He wiped his face with his sleeve.

"I was out on the streets, in the alley." He whispered shakily. "It was terrible. Everything was coming back to me. It felt so real." I listened intently. "Everything that happened before...it was all being replayed in my head. There were familiar voices, saying the same things over and over again...it was horrifying. It felt like I was back out there...in the cold rain...helpless, alone."

"You'll never be alone here with me." I continued to stroke his ears gently. He nuzzled my arm like a real kitten would, yawning and jerking his head as he did so.

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" I asked quietly, rubbing my tired eyes. I was so busy with Dan that I even forgot to have coffee with my dinner. The brunette gave a small nod and snuggled into the comforter. I pat his head before standing up to return to my room when I heard a small mew behind me. I turned and Dan was making grabby hands at me. I chuckled.

"Yes? Will you use your words for me?"

"Can you stay here with me? To make the nightmares go away?" I smiled warmly.

"Of course I will. Give me some room?" He moved from the middle of the bed to the right side allowing me to climb into the left.

"Night, Dan." I ruffled his hair.

"Night-night..." The boy yawned again and fell back asleep, breathing steadily for the remainder of the night.


End file.
